Mission Central

The Mission is one of those parts of the city that I return to over and over again. It's not the neighborhood I call home, but it's probably the one I spend the most time in when I'm not at home. There's a lot of sensory overload in that part of town, both good and bad, but it's vibrant and colorful and no other place in the city quite like it.

That's why I was so excited that Allan from Mission Mission decided to take me up on my offer to be a part of i live here: SF. I've been reading Mission Mission regularly, whenever I want to know what's going on in that part of town... kind of like a kid with her nose pressed to the glass window because there's a lot more to the Mission than I'll ever get to experience.

And Allan always seems to know what going on first.

***

You can see Allan's story here.

And this is a general shout-out to you SF readers... I need more faces for the project. So let me take your photo, okay? I know you're out there.

ps.: And for you who haven't seen it, my photography book of the Mission is here.

Strawberry Money

Anna was left a young widow with four small children when her husband Nathan died. His death certificate says that he died of pneumonia, worsened by a cardiac condition, but the family rumor had it that his death might have been from complications resulting from when he had been shot while trying to smuggle weapons into Russia after the Revolution.

Whatever the story was, Anna, or Annie as she was also called, was a young widow in Brooklyn, left to raise four small children in a brownstone tenement. The year was 1924.

***

Anna was my paternal great-grandmother. Nathan had supported the family comfortably as a furrier. After his death, Anna opened a beauty parlor. She also made bootleg whiskey in her bathtub and delivered it to her customers in a baby carriage. My Aunt Edna's baby carriage.

Great Aunt Edna had fond memories of her mother, that she was impulsive and good-natured, despite their constant struggles to make ends meet. When Anna would come upon a little windfall of money (maybe from the whiskey or a generous tip from a customer), my great aunt remembers that her mother would go out and buy a treat for the family. She remembers the strawberries vividly, an expensive luxury but how cherished those berries were and how special it was to have them.

I have always enjoyed imagining those strawberries, and the family of children delighting in them. Whenever I have a little windfall, I call it my Strawberry Money.

***

Yesterday I wrote that post about how Dickensian the world has been feeling and about not having money for a sandwich and all of that. I literally pondered if there would be a treat after all of this economic madness.

But when I got home, there was some Strawberry Money waiting for me. A check for $29 from Blurb, meaning that more than one person actually bought one of my books online, so I could accrue enough to get a little check in the mail! Hooray! Thank you, mystery customers!

Now, what will I spend my Strawberry Money on? That's the hard part. But like Annie, I'll figure out something delightful. I get to see two special friends tonight. Maybe I will spend my Strawberry Money on buying them an ice cream.

What would you do? When you ask for a little treat, you might just get one!

***

Photo of strawberries by ~MVI~ on flickr.

20% More Life

I don't know about you guys, but a lot of people I know are not really feeling the holiday spirit right now. I took this photo in Chinatown last week. The shop owners there are sometimes standing outside, asking people to come into their stores to look around. There are not many tourists or wanderers like me on the street to ask.

Normally by this time of year, I could expect random pummeling on the train coming home because we'd be picking up loads of holiday shoppers at Powell Station, where Union Square and the big mall are. Last year I can't tell you how many times we were smashed into strange configurations trying to accommodate lots of bags stuffed with stuff and excited shoppers bragging about their purchases.

So far this year, I haven't been smashed by an overloaded shopping bag once. Our office is adjacent to luxury shops such as Prada, Chanel, de Beers, and Hermes, to name a few, which are almost empty. And the other stores, like H&M, The Gap and MNG, have big red signs in the windows: 20-60% off! Buy One Get One Free! These signs feel desperate to me. And still the shoppers are scant. Some stores keep their doors open and you can feel the heat wafting out into the cold air. I guess enticing people into a store with a blast of warm air isn't nearly enough now.

***

Not going into too much detail, but starting next year me and some of my peeps will be having more free time on our hands during the week. I will be having about 20% more time, to be exact.

I'm going to look at it that way instead of having 20% less of something else.

One thing that could mean is that I'll be able to take 20% more photographs than normal. I really want to go back to Chinatown and explore more. Ever since I finished my book on The Mission, I feel like I didn't give Chinatown enough of my attention.

For instance, this photo was taken inside the Ma-Tsu Temple on Beckett Street. I had only taken photos from the outside previously. This little temple is full of shrines, gods and hundreds of incense sticks burning in urns filled with sand.

And this photo is the doorway of a divey bar all the way at the end of Grant Street. I had never walked to the end of Grant before, or else just had not noticed this space.

And these little men... just waiting to live under a bonsai tree as a souvenir of someone's San Francisco adventure. More chances to play with my macro lens.

And then the food in Chinatown is good and cheap. Dim sum-- you can get two chao siu bau for $1.00. Or har gow, 3 for $1.50.

And this is called a Chinese pancake: sticky, sweet glutinous rice filled with red bean paste. It's delicious and only costs $.60. Budget dessert.

Taking pictures is free but the enjoyment of capturing a perfect image is priceless. I have my beat up walking boots that were purchased for the Acqua alta in Venice, and now have trod many streets of San Francisco in them. And batteries are cheap.

***

What do you wish you had 20% more of?

Besides the extra time, I think I would like to have:

20% more compassion
20% more brain power and memory
20% more good eating habits and exercise
20% more surprises

We'll see how it goes.

While in Babyville

We conducted our very important drawing today.

The drawing was supposed to happen last Friday, but when you're in Babyville, life happens at a different pace.

Luckily we had a crisp white chef's hat for the occasion.

And LCG chose very carefully that one special name out of the hat...

And the winner is...

The Elementary!

Thank you for being part of our day!

It's time for grilled cheese and maybe a trip to the park before I have to go to the airport. So I'll catch up with you all later. But here's a little preview, and some songs and kisses.

11/11: My Birthday, Your Gift

Well, tomorrow's the b-day.

This year's birthday seems so much about wanting to look forward, to look forward to. I can't help but be excited about what might happen in the coming year.

The day seems like a present waiting to have its bow untied.

I have decided to make a present. It's been fun giving stuff to you guys (Kath, you're next!).
So I think I'll give one of you a copy of my next photo book: The Mission, San Francisco Series, Vol. 2.


I'm almost done with the collection of photos, and if I know I have someone to send a book to then it will be more of an incentive to put the finishing touches on it and get it out the door to be printed.

***

I've been falling in love with the Mission. The colors, the life in the people, the unexpected surprises.
It's been hard to choose the photos for this book because there are so many that I love.

The one below in particular has a sweet story behind it. I was walking down Clarion Alley, which is filled with some of the most amazing murals in San Francisco. Taking photos left and right, I heard a giggle above me.

There was a young Hispanic boy, camera pointed at me, ready to take a picture of yet another picture taker wandering under his window. We laughed as we snapped photos of each other and gave each other a thumb's up at the end of our little impromptu session. Two photographers happy with their work.

This photo in particular felt like a gift to me when I took it, and even now as I remember the story of it. So it would be great to share even more of the story with you, so you can see what hours of walking and looking have come to lately.

***

So no special requirements. Just leave a comment if you'd like to be in the drawing and I'll pick a name. All of you guys, even my little lurkers. First time visitor or long-time buddy, wherever you live in the world. How about we have the drawing on Friday?

It will be nice to give you a present. You're always so encouraging and thoughtful! And so nice to have around.

xoxo

Just Mellow Here

"Being a photographer is making people look at what I want them to look at." ~ Ruth Orkin

***

I'm working on my book about the Mission (damn, gotta love that blurb!), listening to my Aimee Mann CD again (and hoping some of you will make me a mix CD of your favorite smart girls). Smelling the marijuana that comes through the vent next to my desk, from the guy upstairs. (He must have a hydroponic farm up there--this is a nightly occurrence.)

And I'm sitting here, kinda laughing, because if you never looked at any other photos of San Francisco except for mine, you'd think that the city was completely decrepit and falling to pieces.

I guess maybe it is (or at least the parts of the city I happen to take photos in).

***

"All photography is propaganda." - Martin Parr

This urban decay sure fascinates me. Lucky this book is not a scratch-n-sniff though. Some of these places look cool on paper, but in real life, the smells could knock you over. The "nicer" parts of town don't have the urine smells, but they also don't make for very interesting photos, either.

***

The other day, Amber and I were just beside ourselves discovering battered doors, peeling paint layers and general disintegration. I told her about a favorite ancient keyhole I found, backlit perfectly to show the myriad of spiderwebs inside, and she shared her love of rust and how she befriended all of the graffiti artists in Salt Lake City.

Who knew that taking a bunch of photos would lead to such bizarre admiration?

***

Also, I found a really fantastic site for photography quotes, which might be inspiring to some of you, my fellow photography mavens.
That's all. Nitey nite.

***

OH! I remember what I wanted to tell you. Those of you who preordered your Chinatown book with me, the shipment came in! So now I'm just working on your special thank you prints to send, and then I'll be popping your books in the mail.

I can't believe I forgot. It must be the second-hand pot smoke.

Thinking Girls' Music

I'm sitting on my duff, but I'm working.

Book #2: The Mission. And it's looking gooood.

Right now, I'm listening to Aimee Mann. She's my go-to singer for smart girl music. Her soft voice and quirky lyrics keep me going while I sort through a zillion photos, editing, thinking.


I went through my Indigo Girls phase, my k.d. lang phase, my Natalie Merchant phase, but Aimee's the one I listen to over and over again.





I'm sure you've heard this one before:



What smart girls do you listen to? I'm always open to suggestions.

Book Preorder Ends Tomorrow

I seem to be getting a little behind in things, so I have hired a lovely assistant (see her photo above) to help me with my book orders.

My lovely assistant wanted me to remind you that if you wanted to preorder a copy of my Chinatown book, you can do so until through the end of the day tomorrow, Saturday the 20th.

***

If you preorder, the book will be discounted at $36.95 and shipping will be $5.00 for US residents and $12.00 for international. (Of course, you can always order through blurb anytime you wish, where there is also a hardcover edition available. Boy, I loved saying that: "hardcover edition." tee hee.)

I would be happy to inscribe it for you (in fact, I'd be thrilled) and might even put a surprise print in there for you as well.

If you'd like to preorder, please send me an email with your full name, mailing address and quantity of books. I'll then send you an email via Paypal for the total amount. (It's quite a simple procedure.)

ps. If you've already indicated that you'd like a book, would you mind confirming again (via email), making sure I have all of the above information? My assistant would appreciate it ever so much! (Sometimes I get a little deranged and lose things.)

My email again is tangobaby2 at gmail.com

pss: Thank you, Christina, for helping get the word out! I really really really appreciate it! xoxo
UPDATE pss: And Oh La La, merci millefois, Paris Parfait! xoxo
SUPER UPDATE pss: Lala, beautiful Lala in Granada! Gracias!

Wow, this is getting to be f-u-n!

***

psss: Lovely vintage images abound at Graphics Fairy! Woo hoo!

And Happy Friday! Happy Weekend! Do something FUN!

Resting on Laurels I Don't Have

An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied. ~Arnold Glasow

***

"So, why are you still working here?"

That is what one of my coworkers asked me today. She was very direct. She even had her hands on her hips, in an insistent stance. She meant the question in a nice way, though.

As much as I might complain and whine about my job sometimes, I do work with some very talented, bright and very funny, cool people (except for one, and that's all I'll say about that). For almost two years, I have played jokes on some, shared snarky emails and daydreams of where the nearest Sugar Daddy store is in town, and gone out for drinks, movies, lunches and dinners with even more. When I would walk in a little late in the morning, looking frowsy from a late night of tango dancing, some one would always ask with a smile, "Oh, tango again last night?" Or when I had my flamenco skirt and shoes in my bag and was on the way out the door, people would want to know, "How's that flamenco coming along?"

It's nice to be noticed.

Now, when they see me with my camera around my neck, maybe having just come in from lunch, they say, "Take any good pictures today?" And they mean it. I get little congregations at my desk to see one of my latest achievements. It's very sweet of them.

I've already sold seven books at work.

So someone who hadn't seen my book yet came over with a copy in her hand. Three of them had been pow-wowing at another's desk, and she had been flipping through it. She marched back to my desk and said, "So why exactly are you still working here? I can't believe you took these pictures! You should be in a gallery. You should be selling these books all over town!"

I babbled. "Wha..wah...wh--"

And another one piped up on the other side of my desk: "You need to get a grant. Seriously. Apply to the Getty Foundation and get out of here."

They already have all of these ideas. Go to this store. This museum. This hotel. Oh, the tourists here. And here. My head was spinning and my insides were saying, oh please, can't you do this part for me?

So now I have to give myself a little bit of a kick in the pants. I made my book, and I adore it. I figured out how to make prints I like and I can sell them, too. I show my book around and people love it. I have copies sitting on my desk (the stack is dwindling rapidly), all with the idea that I will take them into shops and hotels and show them and see if I can drum up some orders, and instead I've done nothing so far.

I'm resting on laurels I don't have. I need to cut this crap and get out there and show my stuff. But then I think about me trying to apply for a grant with the Getty Foundation and my mean little Dorothy Parker self just laughs (Just learned to use a camera at Easter, this year, for god's sake! Still uses the Auto function on her camera because she doesn't even know all of the settings yet. Who does she think she is, anyway?!).

This post is not a pity party for me and I know what I have to do. But I still want to have the world come to me, to be like Lana Turner at the soda fountain at Schwab's and get discovered and instantly become a star (even though that story isn't true, isn't it what we all want?). Isn't that what reality tv is all about? Someday I'll be discovered? That diamond in the rough, the one that only needs a little facet here and a little polish there and voila! Now I can show them all I'm not a total phony?

Wake up, tangobaby. You've got to hit the pavement and get to work.

Please help kick me in the pants. I need more feet.

***

Just so you know, up top are what the MOO cards look like, what I was telling you about here. They are insanely cute and I think all of you should get MOO cards. (See, I'm so good at promoting other people's stuff.)

On the other side, they say:

julie michelle
photographer

Okay, MOO cards. I know.

Just Another Productive Day at Tangobaby Inc.

Well, almost. It's not like I have time to spare like this all the time, but today I decided to hunker down and cross some things off of my personal to-do list.

A few weeks ago, thanks to advice from the group message boards on flickr, I downloaded three trial software packages: Adobe's Lightroom 2 and Photoshop Elements, and Apple's Aperture. My brain hurts now, but the winner is...Lightroom 2.

Made some MOO cards, which I'm really excited about and which will be perfect for a blogger party I'm going to in a couple of weeks, just in case I need to hand out scads of tiny, cute cards.

One thing I am still futzing around with is where and how to display and someday sell my prints. I'm almost there, and still evaluating this site. This is a test site and I'm having prints made to see how they turn out, but if you're just hanging out and want to see what I have so far, click here:

http://femmefotographie.zenfolio.com/

***

And just a gentle reminder that there's one week left to preorder my book at a discount. The last day to preorder will be Saturday, September 20. Of course the book will still be available through blurb.com, but this way you get a discount and I can sign it for you, too.

Hope you guys are enjoying your weekend!

xoxo

Weekend Update

No wonder I get tired on Mondays.

***

Saturday: One of my favorite views of San Francisco.

Because when I see this sight above, it means I'm sitting on my favorite stool in one of my favorite places in the Haight, looking out the window, and waiting for this...

A bratwurst with onions and a cream soda from Rosamunde's in the Lower Haight. (Next to this heaven, this grilled goodness is probably one of my other very favorite things in town.)

Yes, it is that good.

That was part of my reward for a four-hour walk in the Haight and through Golden Gate park (getting photos for a next book, of course.)

And then back home to meet The Boy in time to get to the 2008 California State Yo Yo Championships at the Exploratorium...

Let's just say that Championship level yo-yo-ing is very entertaining and certainly holds your attention. (If you want to get an idea of how fun, check this out. We saw this kid--he won last year.)

And then whizzing across town to catch a baseball game: the SF Giants vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates (we won), and a second bratwurst (this one with sauerkraut).

Jose Feliciano sang the National Anthem (which was wayyyyy cool and we were so thrilled and it's a very beautiful version--see clip below) and some little Boy Scouts got the game going.




(I am very proud of this photograph of the ballpark at sunset, btw.)

***

And then the next day:

To stumble upon this place (part of the next day's photo walk), in a store where I have no place being and should never return to. I was too overwhelmed to buy anything. I feel like I have dodged a bullet.


And then a walk along the Embarcadero, taking more photos.


Just another day...

Then, meeting up with The Boy (again)...

...who drove us to an for-sale/open house of a famous rock star he happens to know.

Downstairs in the room off the music recording studio, I found a folder that had some paperwork in it, so I pretended like I was a CIA operative and took this photo so you would know I was not making this up.

***

Sadly, the only thing left undone was to attend the Lebowski Fest 2008, but there's really only so much a person can realistically cram into a weekend.

That's okay. I'll just watch my favorite scene from the film a few times and that will be enough. Hope your weekend was mighty fine!

I'm going to collapse now. Nitey nite.


Hotel California - For more of the funniest videos, click here

The Book! It's Here!

Welcome to Chinatown, through my lens.

I'm so proud to have completed my first book of a series, full of photos of the city I love: San Francisco.

Although the book is available now through blurb, you can preorder the book through me at a special discount, and I would be happy to sign a copy (or two or three or more!) for you, in my very best penmanship.

*Special preorder price here is $36.00 (a savings of $2.95)
*Standard landscape format, 10x8 inches, 60 pages, softcover
*Color and black and white plates
*Tax and shipping dependent on order

Please email me at tangobaby2@gmail.com for more information or to preorder. The deadline for preordering Chinatown is September 20.

UPDATE 9/1: Thanks to those of you who have been so enthusiastic and generous with your praise in comments and emails! I'm just delighted! xoxo

I Just Had a Baby!

At 11:19pm this evening, I just had my first child.

A 40-page photography book that I made myself.

With color and black and white plates, my beautiful baby measures 7 inches square and has a soft cover.

I haven't seen her in person yet, but I love her already.
(She ships in 7-10 days.)

***

I'll have more news on the delivery soon, when I receive my order and check her out to make sure that everything's the way it's supposed to be.

And then if you want to have one of my babies too, we can talk about that as well.

But for right now, I'm tired. This has been a labor of love and I'm ready to hit the hay.

Good night, my friends!

xoxo